'At The Start / At Long Last' debut LP is now available at workbenchrecordings.com. Digitally available on iTunes, amazon.com, Spotify. Performance news.

Jury Duty

So, I had jury duty about a week ago, New York Court 100 Centre Street. Oddly, to me anyway, a lot of people dislike the process of performing their civic duty. Personally I imagine if I were charged with a crime I most certainly would want a fair and impartial jury of my peers i.e. not folks bummed out about being there. The acknowledgement of people’s chagrin at being called up was expressed even by the court officer. Jury duty is kind of like extra work. You’re all held in a particular room for a day or so waiting to be put to use, there are many different people from all strata of society and there’s the sense that even though you’re just another person in a crowd you may have a moment to shine.
So my name is called with a bunch of folks and we’re needed in a courtroom across the street (it was raining that day). We’re herded along by a couple of older cops who seemed affable enough. We all ambled across the street like geese while one of the cops held traffic. I waited to go into the courtroom with about 70 others and get voir dired (the judge asks questions of jurors relevant to the case). The judge asks if I have kids (it was a sexual assault case), where I live, do I have family members in law enforcement, what I do for a living and do I have any hobbies….at which point I blurt out, I play guitar, write songs and my album is out November 18th! Perhaps I have an impulse control problem. The judge and a lot of the court cracked up so I didn’t feel too embarrassed. I thought this knee-jerk promotional moment happened and was over however when the defense attorney addressed us he congratulated me on the album and said he played guitar as well and when forming and E chord if one note is out it doesn’t sound right as it is with reasonable doubt. If one aspect of the case doesn’t sit right you must say not guilty. There’s something very human about jury duty. We are asked to look at ourselves and each other and come to a conclusion as to who we are and how we should conduct ourselves in society…that said, my album, At The Start / At Long Last, is out November 18th!!! We’re having a release party at Cakeshop 152 Ludlow Street, NYC c’mon out it’s gonna be a blast!
Until next time, dear reader, maintain. -p